(VOVworld) - Italy helped rescue a total of more than 3,300 migrants trying to cross the Mediterranean on Friday, the country's coastguard has said. In one operation, 17 bodies were found on three boats. Another 217 people who were on board were rescued. The coastguard said distress calls were made from 17 different boats on Friday. The International Organization for Migration (IOM) says at least 1,826 people have died while trying to cross the Mediterranean so far in 2015.  The IOM says it represents an almost 30-fold increase on the same period last year.